Trent Aims to Launch a New Retail Brand Every Five Years

Tata Group’s retail arm Trent Ltd., known for its successful apparel brands Westside and Zudio, is charting an aggressive growth strategy, aiming to launch a new retail brand every five years to expand its presence in fashion and lifestyle.

The move comes as Trent responds to a changing retail environment marked by rising competition and slower revenue growth. In the June quarter, the company reported a 20% year-on-year increase in topline revenue—well below its 35% CAGR over the past five years and short of its 25% long-term growth target, reiterated by Chairman Noel Tata at the company’s AGM in July.

Speaking at a recent launch event in Bengaluru, Managing Director P. Venkatesalu highlighted the company’s broader vision: “Trent is not just about one brand; it serves as a platform.” He emphasized that the company’s strategy is to incubate and scale new formats based on market response.

The latest addition to its portfolio is Burnt Toast, a youth-focused fashion brand that debuted last month in Bengaluru, Surat, Pune, and Thane. Targeting Gen Z consumers with trendy and affordable apparel, Burnt Toast enters a space already occupied by Reliance Retail’s Yousta, Aditya Birla Fashion’s Style Up, and Shoppers Stop’s Intune. Trent plans a phased rollout in other cities, focusing on catchments with high youth density.

Trent is also expanding into adjacent categories. Last October, it launched Zudio Beauty, which offers affordable cosmetics and skincare. Many outlets are co-located within existing Zudio stores to increase footfall and drive sales. Zudio, launched in 2016, has rapidly scaled to cross ₹8,600 crore in revenue in FY25, helping drive Trent’s total revenue up 38.5% year-on-year to ₹17,125 crore.

Meanwhile, flagship brand Westside—established in 1998—contributes an estimated ₹5,000–6,000 crore annually. Other additions include ethnic wear label Utsa, occasion wear brand Samoh, and newer categories such as innerwear, footwear, and lab-grown diamond jewellery under the Pome brand.

As of June 30, Trent operated 248 Westside stores, 766 Zudio outlets (including two in the UAE), 77 Star Bazaar stores, and 29 locations under other lifestyle formats.

Brokerage firm Motilal Oswal remains bullish on Trent’s prospects. “We like Trent for its strong store additions, especially in Zudio, and growth potential in emerging categories,” it said in a recent note. However, it added that sustained revenue acceleration remains a key monitorable.

With a commitment to launching a new brand every five years, Trent is positioning itself not just as a retailer—but as a brand-building powerhouse in Indian retail.